


In the middle of ‘is that a moose’ and ‘that’s a penguin’ Alaska

by nerdyheart15



Series: Seven Years of Details [2]
Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: AU, Alaska is cold, Gen, M/M, but its very beautiful, reconecting, safe houses, short and fluffy, the WSC is a big bag of dicks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-18
Updated: 2013-04-18
Packaged: 2017-12-08 20:43:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/765819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerdyheart15/pseuds/nerdyheart15
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Seven years ago Phil Coulson lost his job so Clint Barton could stay with SHIELD.</p><p>Clint meets up with him again in a safe house in Alaska.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In the middle of ‘is that a moose’ and ‘that’s a penguin’ Alaska

**Author's Note:**

> The WSC is a big bag of dicks and I couldn't help but think that they wouldn't be to pleased with the Black Widow being brought in alive. It was supposed to be angsty but with everything going on in the world it became fluffy and I'm okay with that.
> 
> Thanks for reading! :D

“Freeze.”  The voice Clint hears is still as scarily calm as it was seven years ago and he finds himself relaxing despite the gun being held to his temple. He wasn’t expecting anyone to show up at the small safe house in the middle of Alaska. To his knowledge only three people knew about it; so it was a surprise that the man who owned it would just happen to come to use it at the same time he did.

“It’s good to hear your voice again Coulson.” The gun at his temple moved down slowly and Clint turned around to see his old handler. Phil Coulson, former SHIELD agent and army ranger looked different from the last time Clint saw him. Seven years of going off the map hadn’t been kind to his old handler. Where he once looked untouched, he looked tired with black bags beneath his eyes and a few days’ worth of stubble on his chin. His hair was shaved and Clint could see scars on his neck that weren’t there the last time he saw the man.

“Barton.” Coulson didn’t say anything more as he finally set down his gun but Clint knew that the older man was taking in Clint’s own haggard appearance. The Battle of Manhattan had left him bruised and battered looking and the bags beneath his eyes had come from weeks of sleepless nights with guilt eating at his soul and blue tinted nightmares making it hard for him to sleep. When he finally seemed to pass Coulson’s inspection the man went into the small kitchen and began to pull out a frying pan with some eggs, various vegetables, cheese and bacon.  “I assume you still eat your omelet the same way.”

“Yeah, I’m a creature of habit you could say.” Coulson snorted a small laugh and the whole odd situation brought back year old memories of the two of them working on missions together and taking turns cooking out of small kitchens all over the world. It had been an easy working relationship between the two of them, and before the Black Widow case the two of them had been good friends.

Coulson remained quiet while cooking but Clint knew him and he could tell that the ex-agent was deep in his own thoughts. He was trying to think of what to do next, Clint had no doubt in his mind that Coulson was thinking of several plans for their impromptu reunion.

“Nick said you had a tough time in New York.” The words were said with no weight behind them, almost casually, but Clint could hear the hidden meaning. Coulson was worried about him. “I assume you came out here to clear your head a bit.”

“Yeah, I just…” His words trailed off, Clint didn’t really want to burden Coulson with his pain. He wasn’t even sure where they stood with one another anymore; it’s been seven years with no contact between either of them. Although he had asked Fury about the older man on several occasions, he never went out of his way to find Coulson on his own. Coulson has obviously been checking up on him as well, although he probably didn’t make contact for different reason’s then Clint’s own.

“You don’t have to say anything Clint.” The archer looked up from his omelet to the sound of his name and saw a small, gentle smile on Coulson’s face. It’s been too long since he has seen that smile, and it twists something unknown in Clint’s heart to see it again.

“So, how have you been?” Coulson pauses at the stove a little, he was trying to think of what to say, and Clint cursed internally for how awkward they had become. They used to be able to have conversations at ease; they used to be able to talk about almost anything. He’s missed the comradery the two used to share. He misses a lot of things about Coulson.

“Life hasn’t been easy. At first I was running for a while, but with everything that’s been happening in the world the WSC isn’t too worried about finding me at the moment.” His words were blunt and they made Clint wince.  After he had brought in Natasha, the World Security Council had been angry and Coulson, being the one in charge of the mission and agreeing to take in the Black Widow, had taken the fall for the mission. Fury had caught wind of their plan to arrest Coulson and had warned him. Coulson was labeled a rogue agent in SHIELD, had lost all of his credentials with the army, and had disappeared overnight with a bounty on him from the WSC.

It was all Clint’s fault, and he was sure the man hated him for it.

“I don’t even know if an apology will be worth anything to you anymore Coulson.” Clint looked away from Coulson but he could still feel the man’s gaze on him. It made him uncomfortable, but he felt as if he deserved it. He was pulled from his thoughts of self-doubt when he felt a calloused hand grasp his chin gently. Coulson had forced Clint to look into his eyes and he was surprised to see no hate in their blue-grey depths.

“I will never regret my decision to take the blame for that mission.  You needed SHIELD, and even though I’m sure the Black Widow would never admit it but she needed you. You both deserved a second chance, and I made sure you got it.” Coulson was completely sincere and Clint could feel a little bit of the guilt he has been harboring for seven years lift ever so slightly.

Things were strange between the two of them for the rest of the day. Coulson had left to fetch more groceries from a small Alaskan town that was about an hour drive away. When he got back from town the two had made dinner and Coulson had retired for the night to the only room in the house with the promise to talk tomorrow.

Clint stayed awake for hours afterwards, too wound up to even attempt sleep. Questions and theories ran through his mind about what the hell Coulson have been up to for the past seven years.

Right before he drifted to sleep from exhaustion Clint came to the realization that Coulson was in love with him.

“Well shit.”

…

“I saw some of the footage in New York.” Coulson smiled at him over the waffles he had made for breakfast and Clint wasn’t even surprised to wake up to the smell of waffles because the older man preferred breakfast foods to any others. It was one of the things that will never change about the man and Clint held onto that.

“Yeah, it was pretty chaotic that day. Norse gods fighting, aliens invading, the WSC trying to nuke New York, and I got to fight alongside _the_ Captain America.” Coulson didn’t blush but he did duck his head a little and Clint considered it a win. It was no secret that the man’s hero was Captain America.

“You did an excellent job; it was everything I ever wanted from you and more.” Coulson looked at Clint like he looked at one of his trading cards and he couldn’t help but squirm a little under the man’s compliment. He wasn’t a hero.

“Why did you take the blame for me?” Clint didn’t mean to blurt it out but he couldn’t keep it off his mind and it was something they obviously had to talk about.  Coulson froze at his question and it was unnerving seeing such a calm person look so panicked.

“When did you figure it out?” The question was hesitant and it came out in a quiet and broken voice. It was so unlike from the Coulson that he used to know that Clint was suddenly reminded that he hadn’t had contact with the man for seven years.

“Last night,” Coulson made a choked noise and when Clint reached out for him he didn’t pull back. “But a part of me always knew I think. Looking back on all those years we worked together, it’s hard not to see it now. You always cared for me and trusted me.” Coulson’s hands were shaking ever so slightly and Clint knew that the man was holding back his emotions. Despite the rumors that Coulson had been a robot, the man was always so full of life and he let few people actually know that.

“I… I can leave if you like. I have other places I can go.” Coulson- _Phil_ pulled away sharply but Clint just grabbed his arm and pulled him into a strong hug. Phil melted into the embrace and Clint couldn’t help but think that the gesture felt _right_.

“You left once already. You left because you didn’t want to see me hurt again, and I can’t even begin to imagine how you could love me so much that you do.” Phil remained quiet but Clint could feel his smile against his neck. “And damn it all if I don’t love you too.”

Phil looked up at him and Clint knew he was searching for the lie, and Clint made sure that Phil would never find one by kissing him gently. Phil responded after a small moment and Clint could have shot himself with one of his own arrows for not doing this seven years ago when he had the chance.

…

 _“Where the hell are you Clint?”_ Clint winced at how angry Natasha sounded on the phone. She only ever showed how made she was at Clint when she was really worried about him, and at that moment he felt like an ass.

“I’m in Alaska. Somewhere in the middle of ‘is that a moose’ and ‘that’s a penguin.’” Clint could practically hear Natasha roll her eyes through the phone.

 _“Well when you are done freezing off the little bit of man hood you have left, you can come back to New York. Fury made sure that it was all clear for us to come back. Apparently almost wiping New York off the planet is a good source of black mail.”_ Clint wasn’t sure where Natasha was but he felt bad for the people who were probably witnessing the terrifying smile he knew would be one her face.

“How black do you think the mail is?” A plan was already formulating in his head and he knew that with some help he could probably accomplish it.

_“I like your tone of voice Clint. Talk to me, and make it quick I have a pedicure appointment in an hour.”_

…

“Tell me about something you’ve been doing for the past few years. I know I love to talk but even I’m getting sick of hearing how awesome I am.” Clint gave Phil one of his cockiest smiles which made the man laugh warmly. They’ve only been reunited for five days now, but there are moments when it feels like they’ve never parted.

“Virginia Potts once hired me to help her find Tony Stark when he was kidnapped.” Clint could feel his mouth hang open a little and Phil gave him a smug look. “She was hopeless at the time and she used JARVIS to find me. It was a difficult but I managed to give a certain friend of Stark’s some ideas to where he might be.”

“You think I’d know better but the amount of powerful people you know still surprises me some time.” Phil punched him in the arm playfully and sank back into the extremely comfortable mattress.

“Knowing important people will eventually come in handy when I stop being a mercenary and start ruling the world.” The statement was said in Phil’s usual deadpan but there was a hint of pained emotion behind it. Phil didn’t like being labeled as a mercenary, and he certainly didn’t deserve to be seen as one.

“I’m going to make sure you can come home with a clean slate Phil.” Clint loomed over Phil beneath the sheets and tried to put in as much sincerity into his promise as possible. This thing was new between them and it was moving fast and Clint would use all of his skills to make sure it kept happening.

Phil’s smile stated that he believed Clint’s every word.

…

“You don’t write, you don’t call; I’m really hurt Coulson, I thought I meant more to you.” Phil groaned besides him and Clint would have probably made the same response if it wasn’t for the fact that Tony Stark hadn’t personally seen to Phil getting his life back.

“Stark I would have called but I have better taste.” Tony laughed at Phil’s comeback and Clint could tell that any future conversations between the two would be full of sass. He was going to make a comment about what kind of taste Phil liked when a fist came out of nowhere to knock him off his feet.

“Don’t you ever disappear and not tell me again.” Natasha didn’t look as made as Clint had thought she would so that must mean that he’s forgiven.  She helped him to his feet and Clint knew the moment that Natasha gave him a sly smile that she knew what he’s been doing the last few days.

“Agent Romanov.” Phil held out his hand and it took Clint a horrifying moment to remember that the last time Phil had seen Natasha she was in SHIELD’s custody and that he had lost his whole career when he agreed with Clint to let her in.

“Coulson, it’s been a while.” Natasha shook his hand but it wasn’t awkward or even forced.

“Okay well that’s a story I would love to hear later. But I have a nice warm jet waiting to take us back to civilization so if you guys could move this along that would be great.” Clint shot Tony a thankful look and went to grab his bags before following the group to the others to the rented car.

…

“We have a lot to talk about.” Clint snorted slightly at what seemed to be the understatement of the century and Phil grabbed his hand gently in response. They had seven years to talk about and they were going to hit more than one issue while they do it.

“Yeah well, it’s a good thing I’ve got a nice voice.” Phil hummed in agreement and brought Clint’s hand to kiss his knuckles gently. They were in a private room on Tony’s jet, at the man’s insistence, and Clint was enjoying their last few private hours before everything would change.

“It will be nice to work with you again.” Phil looked so sincere that Clint couldn’t help but kiss the man.

“Wait until you get to meet Captain America.” Clint laughed at Phil’s blush and obvious excitement.

Things were going to be different in New York, but Clint couldn’t help but think that it would be the good kind of different. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! :D


End file.
